In S.
Sudan, Details
of Flight to
Juba as UN
Retaliates
Against Leaks
to ICP

By Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
follow up

UNITED
NATIONS, March
30 -- In the
UN's continued
withholding of
news and
answers about
South Sudan,
the reports of
the UN's own
knowledge of
abuses are now
being withheld
from its own
impacted
national
staff.
So Inner City
Press has
published
below multiple
leaked
documents from
inside UNMISS
and from
non-governmental
organizations.

While
UN
Peacekeeping's
antipathy to
Inner City
Press has been
evidence since
2011-12 (under
Ladsous), now
in the
Department of
Political
Affairs there
is a inquiry
or witch hunt
into who
leaked the
Yemen envoy's
email to Inner
City Press.

Amid or
because of
this reporting
on what the UN
knows but
doesn't say,
on February 19
at the demand
of UN Under
Secretary
General for
Public
Information
Cristina
Gallach, Inner
City Press was
thrown out of
the UN. Audio
here;petition
here.

On March
28, Ban
Ki-moon's
personal
lawyer Miguel
de Serpa
Soares issued
an eviction
threat against
Inner City
Press; on
March 29, he
was listed as
one of only
three members
of a Task
Force
purporting to
clear Ban of
involvement in
the ongoing UN
corruption
scandal. We'll
have more on
this.

On
March 30,
Inner City
Press' sources
provided this
detailed
timeline and
specifics:

"The planned
movement of
1,370 SPLA-IO
soldiers to
Juba via
Malakal begun
yesterday with
the first
batch 40
soldiers. The
entire
exercise was
conducted in
three phases
as follows;

Phase 1: Move
IO soldiers
from Canal to
Malakal
airport.
Escorted was
provided by
SPLA. No
involvement of
UNMISS and
CTSAMM in this
phase.

Phase 2:
Processing the
soldiers for
air movement
to Juba.

Phase 3: Air
lift by UNMISS
aircraft to
Juba.

Phase 2
Details

The 40 SPLA
–IO soldiers
arrived at the
airport at
13:00 hrs. The
following
senior SPLA
and SPLA-IO
officers led
the escort
from Canal to
Malakal
airport:

The senior
officers were
at the airport
throughout the
process. The
Deputy
Governor was
also at the
airport to
welcome and
bid troops
farewell to
Juba.

CTSAMM carried
out the
process of
verification,
clearing
weapons and
putting them
in boxes.
UNDSS –
prepared
weapon
manifest,
manual luggage
search and
body
screening.
UNDSS also
served as a
point of
contact
between escort
team and
UNMISS team at
the airport.

The exercise
ended without
any incident
at 15:30 hrs.
The aircraft
departed
Malakal at
16:00 hrs for
Juba.

The movement
is expected to
run daily from
28 Mar to 7
Apr 16 except
2 and 3 Apr 16
(given Juba
airport’s
closed at
weekends)."

On the
"unrest" in
the UN's Juba
camp, Inner
City Press has
these reports
from its
sources:

"The IDPs told
the
guards
don't treat us
like
animals.
We need water
and food... UN
is very
nervous, and
it’s very
clear to all
they didn't
know what to
do or how to
handle
situation
which is still
tense and
growing.
UNMISS and
some UN organs
are fearing
leaks of info
now as it’ll
again put them
in 'bad
light.'
Accepting
they’re trying
to suppress
info, it’s a
bit late as
international
banks passed
word and it
was all over
Nairobi and
Kampala news
this am just
after weekly
Church
services
concluded and
now in
regional
media."

And, internal
UNMISS:

"At around
11:30hrs
fighting broke
out between
IDP
communities in
POC 1 at the
UN House in
Juba. FPU and
CHINBATT were
deployed to
control the
situation.
Around 1800hrs
the situation
flared up
again
resulting in
about 200 IDPs
moving into
the UN House
compound
specifically
around the
staff
accommodation
areas.
Additional
troops were
deployed to
patrol the
staff
accommodation
area to ensure
staff safety
and
control the
movement of
the IDPs.
Currently the
IDPs have
refused to go
to PoC 3 and
are being kept
at the
humanitarian
gate under
force
protection.

Advisory:
GREY ALERT
Status have
been declared
in the
affected
areas,
especially at
the
Humanitarian
Gate and
PoC1.
Staff are
advised to
restrict
movement to
the affected
areas until
further
notice.”

SRSG Loj
needed to have
Chinese armed
guards
surrounding
her compound.
Their lack of
reporting into
public
mainstream is
one thing, but
they’re unable
to hide the
reality within
their internal
sit reps given
after 18.00
hrs (LT) there
are
effectively no
go zones that
the UN doesn’t
monitor due to
armed groups
of SPLA-IG (in
civilian
clothes etc)

Inner City
Press: In
South Sudan,
there are
reports that,
beyond what
occurred in
Malakal… and
if you have
any update on
the
investigation
particularly
of the
shooting by…
reported
shooting by UN
peacekeepers
of people
seeking
shelter that
was alleged by
the IDPs
(internally
displaced
persons)
themselves,
this would be
the
time.
There are
reports of
weapons in
other
protection of
civilians
sites, and the
allegation by
IDPs is that
the UN is not
conducting
searches for
the weapons
out of
deference to
the Government
and majority
groups in
these
states.
And so I
wanted to
know, can you
say whether
UNMISS, in
light of what
has happened
in Malakal,
has begun
weapons
searches in
the other POC
(protection of
civilians)
camps that it
maintains?

Deputy
Spokesman:
The UN Mission
in South Sudan
(UNMISS) does
what it can to
try to keep a
peaceful and
weapons-free
atmosphere in
all of the
protection of
civilians
sites.
There's a
logistical
challenge
about that,
given the
sheer number
of people in
all of those
areas.
We've said
this many,
many times,
and we'll say
it again, but
there was
never a
capacity by a
UN
peacekeeping
mission to
take care of
tens of
thousands of
people at
different
sites for long
periods of
time. To
their credit,
they've done
that.
And to their
credit, those
sites have
remained
largely
peaceful for
several
years.
But it is a
challenge.
And given the
amount of
space in those
camps and the
amount of
people living
there, it's a…
it's something
that will
continue to be
a challenge.

Inner City
Press:
Given what's
happened in
Malakal, is
the
Secretary-General
seeking
additional
resources from
the Fifth
Committee or
otherwise to
actually do
searches given
that people
used weapons
smuggled into
the camp to
commit murders
in Malakal?

Deputy
Spokesman:
As for the
Malakal issue,
that's
continuing to
be
reviewed.
Like I said,
that there is
both a review
by UNMISS and
by
Headquarters,
and we'll have
to see what
the results of
those are.

One of
those behind
the ouster of
Inner City
Press - and
laughing and
filming it on
February 19 -
was Voice of
America, which
tried in 2012
to get Inner
City Press out of the
UN by writing
to UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric,
here. In
2016 the same
VOA scribes
has become an
anonymous
troll,
defending UN
corruption and
ouster. Is BBG
in on this? US
tax dollars at
work.

Ironically,
today Voice of
America
reports
inaccurately
from South
Sudan that the
SPLA - IO is
to have 3,000
troops in
Juba. VOA
error here.
But the number
is under 2,000
-- VOA is
apparently
conflating
police that
are to go
elsewhere in
the country.
In any event,
the cantonment
sites have yet
to be built;
one proposal,
near Juba,
would put them
in the direct
line of fire
of the SPLG -
IG. We'll have
more on this.

Inner City
Press' UN Pass
was
confiscated
and its files
seized.
Questions sent
to Gallach and
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric have
still
not been
answered. A
new ouster
occurred on
March 10, video here.

Nevertheless,
and pending
reversal of
Gallach's no
due process
order, Inner
City Press
continues with
its exclusive
reporting,
this time from
Akobo in
Jonglei State,
on which the
UN is silent.
Inner City
Press early on
the morning of
on March 14
exclusively
published an
NGO email
about problems
in Akobo, then
asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
it. UN
transcript:

Inner City
Press: an
email among
NGOs there
that in Akobo
in Jonglei
State, there
had been an
800 per cent
increase in
revenge
killings and
that several
NGO staff have
gone into
hiding but
haven't seen
anything from
UNMISS [United
Nations
Mission in
South Sudan]
about
this.
And I'm
wondering,
what is… I
understand, I
guess, UNMISS
doesn't report
on some of the
fighting,
deferring to
some website
you've cited,
but when
actually
humanitarian
workers are
as… as… as
frightened as
this email
shows, what is
UNMISS doing?

Spokesman
Dujarric:
Well, I'm
happy to look
into the
issue. I
have not
received any
reports from
UNMISS.

An NGO
in Akobo had
just written,
as obtained
exclusively by
Inner City
Press:

"“Revenge
killings have
normally
averaged 1 a
month since
2013 but this
week there
were nearly 8
revenge
killings.

2. [NGO
1] had one
staff killed
as a result of
revenge
killings. [NGO
1] has been on
lockdown since
yesterday.

3. One
[NGO 2] staff
is still in
hibernation
since last
week due to
issues related
to revenge
killings.

4. One
[NGO 2] staff
has been
evacuated from
Dengok

5. [NGO
3] member
evacuated from
Akobo to Juba
after
realizing he
was insecure.

6. [NGO
4] Field
Manager has
been evacuated
to Juba due to
security
concerns.

7.
During this
dry season,
there is high
mobility
resulting in
some of the
perpetrators
coming into
Akobo from
various parts
such as
Walgak.

8. There
was suggestion
that head of
NGOs arrange
to meet the
commissioner
to express
concern on the
deteriorating
security
situation.
[Individual 1]
to take lead.

9. The
Bieh State IO
Governor,
Deputy
Governor,
several
Generals and
Akobo
Commissioner
are all in
Akobo. The
Governor, the
deputy and the
generals are
planning on
moving to Waat
anytime soon.

10. UNHCR
Protection
team is in
Akobo to
assess the
Payams for the
possibility of
relocation of
people from
Juba.
Approximately
300 people may
be relocated.

11.
Verification
of IDPs from
kaikuny may
start next
week Monday,
[NGO 2] to
take lead but
would
appreciate
participation
of other
agencies."

We'll
stay on this.

On March
11, the UN
released a
report on
South Sudan --
given to
insider
scribes under
embargo,
apparently in
exchange for
coverage not
critical of
UNMISS --
which while
detailing many
of the abuses
was silent, at
least in
Prince Zeid's
gloss, on the
UN's many
failings.

It
concludes,
without
apparent
irony, by
urging "that
the freedoms
of opinion and
expression are
guaranteed" --
this while
Ban's and
Gallach's UN
throw the
Press into the
street,
repeatedly, as
it reports on
the UN's
failings.

Inner City
Press asked UN
officials Ivan
Simonovic and
David Marshall
about this,
including the
UN's ouster
without due
process, on
March 11, video
here from
Minute 22:20.

Simonovic
replied, I got
your mail and
I will
respond, after
checking
facts.

Simonovic, on
Inner City
Press' Malakal
question, said
it is good it
is being
investigated,
asking why
arms were in
the camp, how
uniformed men
penetrated the
camp and what
the UN did
about property
burned down.
(He did not
mention
reports that
the UN
Peacekeepers
SHOT
civilians.)

Marshall said
the score of
the report was
violations by
the state and
non-state
actors. Why
not the UN?

Here are some
of the
omissions in
the report:

Sexual assault
in UNMISS
camp;

Upper Nile: No
mention of
chemical agent
aerial
bombardment by
UPDF air
assets on
civilians in
IO territory
which Inner
City Press
raised late
last year;

CES : No real
coverage of
use of
chemical
agents used in
Wonduruba.
JMEC’s MVM
denied entry
via Juba-Yei
road,

Ransacking of
parts of
Yambio town by
SPLA and no
UNMISS
patrols. etc.

On March
8 Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
more UN cover
up, including
in Pibor and
meeting with
governors of
the 28 "new"
states. UN
transcript.

On March 9,
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric's
Deputy Farhan
Haq about more
fighting, in
Nasir. From
the UN
transcript:

Inner City
Press: On
South Sudan,
I'd asked
Stéphane
yesterday
about reported
fighting in
Pibor and
people
fleeing,
seeking
protection.
Now there's a
report in the
town of Nasir
of significant
fighting
between SPLA
[Sudan
People’s
Liberation
Army] and SPLA
in Opposition
and maybe a
third force
there.
What is
UNMISS'
[United
Nations
Mission in
South Sudan]
knowledge? I
saw they did a
press
conference,
but it seems
like all of
the questions
were about
International
Women's
Day.
What's the
state of their
knowledge of
the fighting
in Pibor,
Nasir and
elsewhere in
the country?

Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, we
certainly were
informed that
they're
looking into
the reports of
fighting in
Pibor. I
don't have any
details to
give yet, but
they are
looking into
it. And
if they have
details about
the latest
reported
fighting,
we'll share
that with you
in subsequent
days.

But when
Dujarric
returning with
a canned
statement on
March 10, it
was to cover
up Pibor;
nothing on
Nasir.

A group
of community
leaders in
Malakal sent
UNMISS a
detailed
complaint
about the
killings
there,
including that
UNMISS did
nothing
despite being
told in
advance to
impose
preventive
measures. See
here and here
and here, as
exclusively
published by
Inner City
Press.

The
letter says
that UNMISS
shot five
people seeking
safety in the
UN "Protection
of Civilians"
site, and some
died.

On
UNMISS'
failure to
search for
weapons,
entirely
ignored or
covered up at
the UN
Security
Council on
February 19,
here is a
first-hand
account
exclusively
provided to
Inner City
Press:

"“Peacekeepers
were given
info 2 days
ago as was
info passed
out raising
concerns. IDPs
(Shilluk and
Nuer elders
raised this
direct with
UNMISS at the
time of being
aware of info.
UN sat on it
until first
incident
erupted. That
came about as
Padiang dinka
'IDP' walked
passed UN
contracted
gate guards
(Warrior
Security I
think) with
significant
volume of
ammunition for
weapons and
was stopped by
Shilluk IDPs.
Fight broke
out, Padiang
dinka killed
and ammunition
given to UN.

According to
the
information
obtained from
the camp, this
problem
started day
before
yesterday when
UNMISS
Protection
Security
Officers
received
sufficient
security
report that
Dinka
Internally
Displaced
Persons
staying in
Malakal UNMISS
Protection
Camp received
illegal
weapons
smuggled from
main town
center into
IDPs camp by
their tribe
security
agents
controlling
the town since
first week of
July 2015 when
SPLA- IO
withdrew
tactically
from Malakal
town. UNMISS
protection
soldiers
wanted to
conduct the
search for
illegal
weapons
smuggled
inside the
protection
camp but Dinka
Internally
Displaced
Persons
refused to
allow UNMISS
Security to
conduct the
search for
weapons then
the attack
happened last
night at
8:00pm.”

Here is
another
internal email
exclusively
leaked to and
published by
Inner City
Press, with
names redacted
for obvious
reasons:

In March 2014,
a labelling
error was
discovered
whilst
transporting
containers
loaded with
duty equipment
for the UN
Ghanaian
peacekeepers
in Unity State
which
brought
strained
relations to
even a lower
point. The
error was
exploited to
galvanise
hostility
towards the UN
in favour of
the government
by falsely
presenting the
UN as
supplying
weaponry to
the
opposition. It
took elaborate
interventions,
investigations
and
communications
to clear the
false
impression
that this
created.